In the past, I've waxed wistful regarding things I miss about living in LA: the New Beverly Cinema, new live music, being closer to many of our friends.

However, there are some very definite reasons why I love living in Big Bear:

• The man who was in charge of fixing our furnace may not have been the cheapest, but he takes pride in his work and I had no fear of being ripped off.



• If I'm running late for the Off The Mountain bus, I can call the dispatch office and they'll ask the driver to wait for me (try doing that with MTA!)



• The Sheriff's report in the local paper is full of things like yogurt being thrown at a car, reports of a naked man attempting to hail a cab, and a traffic jam caused by a mountain man and his mule.



• I have a 5 minute commute to work, I feel that what I do makes a difference in our community, and when I step out of my office, this is the view.